Prez appoints Modi as PM, requests him to indicate date, time of swearing-in

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 25
President Ramnath Kovind on Saturday appointed Narendra Modi to the office of the Prime Minister of India and requested him to advise him about the names of others to be appointed as ministers in his government and also indicate the date and time of the swearing-in ceremony.
In an official statement the Rashtrapati Bhawan said, “Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, the President today appointed Narendra Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India.”
The decision was formally intimated “when Modi called on the President today in his capacity as leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party, which has majority support in the House of the People following the general election to the 17th Lok Sabha,” the statement read.
Earlier, a delegation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by BJP president Amit Shah called on the President and informed that Modi has been elected the leader of the alliance. The delegation comprised of SAD leader Parkash Singh Badal, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari of BJP, Nitish Kumar (JDU), Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP), Uddhav Thakeray (Shiv Sena), K Palaniswami (AIADMK), Conrad Sangma (NPP) and Neiphiu Rio (NDPP).
Sources in the BJP indicated that the swearing-in of the new government is likely take place on May 30.
In his address at the meeting of the NDA Parliamentary Party, Modi talked about poor, minority and people in general and their huge participation in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls saying that BJP emerged winner with thumping majority only because of their participation.
This election has brought nearly 150 first time lawmakers in Lok Sabha from the NDA and Modi advised them to stay away from the glamour and media. He spoke about VIP culture saying that politicians should avoid this.
“During my campaign I felt many a time that neither I nor the BJP were fighting these elections. It felt like it was being fought by the people. When journalists asked me as to why then am I campaigning, I told them that I was just going around thanking them. 2019 elections was a pilgrimage for me,” Modi said while talking about people’s power.
Modi also talked about people belonging to minority community saying that they have been often targeted for political benefits. “The minority in this country has been kept in a sense of false fear. They have been turned into a vote bank. They have not been allowed to grow…We have to promise to end this illusion of fear and gain their trust. We have to break this barrier,” he said.
Asserting that winning trust of the people should be the aim of representatives, Modi said, “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas aur Sabka Vishwas is our new mantra…People have accepted us due to our ‘seva bhav’. One has to prepare oneself to be always ready to help people even when you move through the lanes of politics and power,” he added.
While addressing in the Parliament, Modi also talked about national ambitions and regional aspirations saying, “NDA is moving forward on these two tracks, which I call NARA.”
Highlights of Modi’s address:Leaders of all the alliance parties, including Nitish Kumar, Ram Vilas Paswan, Uddhav Thackeray and Parkash Singh Badal, present.
Thanking the alliance partners for the support, BJP president Amit Shah said, “Modi is the symbol of hope and so people chose to elect him once again.”
In his speech, Modi thanked MPs of BJP as well as alliance parties.
“We will begin a new journey with new vigour,” Modi said.
He thanked Election Commission and all those involved in conducting the mammoth exercise of voting.
Before speaking, Modi bowed before a copy of the Constitution.
“People have accepted us because of our deep sense of service to people.”
The 2019 election was a symbol of unity, Modi said, adding it has united people.
In this election, people have become partner in democracy as they travelled with the government between 2014 and 2019, Modi said.